Most people require that their clothing be protected during certain activities. These include, but are not limited to, dining, applying makeup and burping babies. The handicapped and elderly, especially those suffering from disorders that affect motor functioning, are particularly susceptible to spillage when dining or engaging in other activities requiring fine motor competence. The most typical solutions designed for protecting clothing have been the use of various bibs, scarves, wraps and napkins.
The major shortcomings of other bibs, scarves, wraps and napkins are their limited utility as fashion accessories, limited versatility as protective garments or the potentially unwanted attention they bring to the wearer, especially in public. They are typically not designed to be worn as accessories for other garments in public nor they are typically designed for purposes other than clothing protection. In addition, many people, such as the handicapped and elderly, find that wearing a bib or napkin while, for example, dining in public results in bringing unwanted attention to their deficits, resulting in feelings of diminished self-respect and loss of dignity.